La Porte, Texas — It was a bittersweet and busy City Council
meeting at La Porte City Hall. The packed agenda began with the La
Porte Fire Department Honor Guard presentation of colors and a beautiful
rendition of the National Anthem by La Porte Fire Fighter Destinee Rayburn. The
Mayor and City Council proclaimed this as National Fire Prevention Week, as
several representatives from the Fire Department came forward to receive the
proclamation. In addition, the Mayor and City Council also proclaimed October
as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Accepting the proclamation was
Interim Police Chief Ron Parker, who would only retain that title until the end
of the meeting.

After discussions and the various agenda items were completed, the City
Manager, Corby Alexander, made the formal and well-received announcement of Ron
Parker as the new City of La Porte Police Chief. The former police chief, Ken
Adcox, retired from LPPD on August 8, 2018 to accept the chief’s position at
UTMB- Galveston Police Department. Parker took over as interim chief pending
his formal, permanent appointment.

Ron Parker joined the La Porte Police Department’s patrol division in 1984 and
was assigned to Detectives in 1986 where he distinguished himself as a criminal
investigator in Crimes against Persons and Child Abuse. In 1991 he promoted to
Sergeant and supervised a patrol shift, where he earned the Medal of
Meritorious Service and the Medal of Valor.

In 1997, Ron promoted to Lieutenant and was assigned as a watch commander. He
was transferred to the Support Services Division in 2000 as commanding officer.
In 2008 Parker was appointed an Assistant Chief and just this past month, in
August, he was named Interim Chief of police. He has received a number of
commendations, medals and various awards. He was recognized as the City of La
Porte’s Employee of the Quarter, Employee of the Year, and has been recognized
as Manager of the Year several times. He has been recognized by the Texas House
of Representatives by Special Resolution for his special contributions to law
enforcement and public service.

Parker currently serves as an assessor for Texas Police Chiefs Association and
is active in the community. He is a member of the National Domestic
Preparedness Coalition, and serves as a volunteer with the Chamber of Commerce
and the school district, and he is on the board of directors for the La Porte
Education Foundation. He holds several degrees including an Associates in
Engineering Technology, an Associates in Criminal Justice, a Bachelors in
Criminal Justice Administration and a Masters in Criminal Justice Leadership
and Management. He has also completed the Leadership Command College, the FBI
Executive Leadership Course, the Command Staff Leadership Course and the
Certified Public Manager’s Program at the William P. Hobby School for Public
Policy. Parker is a Leadership Fellow with the Texas Municipal League, and has
been published by the Texas Historical Society. He is also a veteran of
the United States Army.

Ron is married to his wife of thirty eight years, the
former Debra Diamond, of Houston, Texas. They have two grown children, a son
and daughter, and three grandchildren. Ron and Debra are La Porte residents and
are members of the First United Methodist Church of La Porte, Texas.

Bennie Boles,
Sergeant

Public
Information Officer

La Porte
Police Department

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